Cambridge University Press 978-1-107-55628-7 – History for the IB Diploma Paper 1 The Move to Global War : 2nd Edition Allan Todd Excerpt More information
1 2
Case Study
Japanese Expansion in East Asia, 1931–41
Causes of Japanese Expansion
TIMELINE 1853 Jul: US Commodore Perry arrives in Japan 1854 Mar: Treaty of Kanagawa with the US 1868 Jan: Meiji Restoration Apr: Five Articles 1894 Aug: First Sino-Japanese War begins 1895 Apr: Treaty of Shimonoseki with China; Triple Intervention 1902 Jan: Anglo-Japanese Alliance 1904 Feb: start of Russo-Japanese War 1905 Aug: Treaty of Portsmouth (USA) 1911 Oct: ‘Double Tenth’ Revolution in China 1915 Jan: ‘Twenty-One Demands’ presented to China 1916 Jun: death of Yuan Shikai in China 1919 May: May Fourth Movement protests in China 1921 Nov: start of the Washington Conference 1926 Jul: start of the Northern Campaign in China 1927 Apr: Shanghai Massacre ends First United Front in China
Introduction This chapter is the first of seven which examine the various factors involved on the road towards the Second World War which, on all levels, was far more destructive than even the First World War – which, it had been hoped, was the ‘war to end all wars’. This chapter, and Chapters 3 and 4, will focus on the main developments in Asia and the Pacific, during the period 1931–41, which contributed to the outbreak of war in this region. For these first three chapters, the focus will be on Japan and its role in the events leading up to the truly global Second World War. At times, though, there will be references to European developments – in particular, those involving Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy – which impacted on the decisions taken by Japan. These European aspects will be examined in more detail in Chapters 5, 6 and 7; Chapter 8 will then deal with the final steps which turned the growing aggression and expansionism of the 1930s into what is generally referred to as the Second World War. From 1931, Japan launched a series of military campaigns across East Asia and the Pacific which, initially, were highly successful. Sometimes referred to as either the ‘Fifteen-Year War’ or ‘The Greater Asia War’, this Pacific War is more often seen as a part – though an important part – of the general Second World War. In some ways, it can be argued that the Second World War actually began in 1931 in Asia, rather than in 1939 in Europe.
1929 Oct: Wall Street Crash in the US begins the Great Depression 1930 Nov: assassination attempt on prime minister Hamaguchi 1931 Sep: Japan starts invasion of Manchuria 1932 May: assassination of prime minister Inukai 1933 Feb: Japan leaves League of Nations
KEY QUESTIONS • How significant was the impact of nationalism and militarism on Japan’s foreign policy? • What impact did Japan’s main domestic issues have on foreign policy? • How significant was China’s political instability?
1936 Dec: Second United Front in China 1937 Jul: Japan invades China
18
© in this web service Cambridge University Press
www.cambridge.org